Bushwick And Beyond

by Emily

Weekend theme flavors: rose, tahini, coffee, and duck.

I am super lucky that my husband feels the same way that I do about trying new foods and sharing foods; splitting things means we get to have tons of tastes! I feel lucky to have him in general too! (<– see also: the gorgeous flowers below that he surprised me with after work on Friday)

For Saturday breakfast we shared a soursop smoothie. It couldn’t compare to the fresh stuff I had at home but was still yummy. Frozen soursop puree, caramel almond milk, and cinnamon and nutmeg.

I also had an iced Americano while we did a big grocery restock trip. Pro tip – ask for “light water” so you can add some milk without losing espresso.

Lunch was a smorgasbord at Smorgasburg. Duck bun, smothered in sweet chili sauce. The crunch from the fried shallots makes this our favorite bao in the city. {A+}

I cooled my mouth down with an earl grey egg cream. {A}

We tried a savory crepe with egg, chili sauce, and a crunchy cracker. {B} The texture ended up not really being our speed, we both wished we had gone for the extra egg in it.

Palm sugar with tamarind caramel ice cream for dessert. {A+} This had such a unique flavor.

I tasted a bite of cinnamon rose and it was pretty amazing as well. We grabbed an unphotographed coffee at some point in there too.

Our evening plans included a tasting/tour of Owney’s Rum at The Noble Experiment so we wandered around Bushwick a bit. We were parked about a mile from the distillery so we got to see a few cool spots. And the tour was great; we really love factory/brewery/etc visits.

I also had a vodka soda with cherries. <– desperately needed lime

For dinner we fell head over heals in love with Faro. Gorgeous tableware, locally and humanely sourced foods, and delicious dishes.

We started with ricotta gnocchi with ramps, morel mushrooms, fava beans, and cured egg.

Plus a little gem lettuce salad with miso anchovy vinaigrette, pistachio, soft-boiled egg, and mint. It was amazing, truly the very best salad we’ve ever had! Adam and I both thought it was the best dish of the day. The mint made it absolutely perfect.

Drinks were a meh rosé and a sour porter which we loved.

We shared our entrées (more tastes!). Squid ink corzetti with peekytoe crab, uni, shiro dashi, and sorrel. I really dislike long pasta – I should have looked up corzetti before I ordered – but Adam was swooning.

And I lost my mind over our dry aged duck breast. It was served on a fantastic turnip puree.

Key lime tart with fresh strawberry sorbet for dessert.

We will be back!

Sunday baking project – tahini granola. Best granola I’ve ever made; I ended up eating a big bowl with milk for dessert at the end of the day.

For breakfast I ate it on top of plain Greek yogurt, with fresh berries, and a single Luxardo cherry.

Plus a rose latte in an amazing cup.

We spent our afternoon wandering around Chelsea Market to get out of the unseasonable cold.

Lunch was a sharp cheddar grilled cheese with a chocolate milk stout.

Seed + Mill served the highlight of the day – goats milk yogurt with the best tahini I’ve ever had. We couldn’t believe how delicious this was! I can’t wait to take my parents there this summer.

My home-cooked dinner was delicious as well, thanks, crockpot!

Chicken, potatoes, and baby carrots were cooking away with 40 cloves of garlic while we spent the day out of the house.

Served with roasted green beans with a sprinkle of almonds and cheese.

Yum. And I am basically stuffed again reading through this post!

9May2016

Spring In The City

by Emily

As of this morning our spring vacation comes to a close. We did St. Thomas, DC, and a few wonderful days in the best city on Earth (aka our hometown, NYC). After a month apart while Adam was in Texas the past two weeks have been fantastic. I’m going to miss him a lot this workweek.

In spite of the rain and bitter cold over the past few days we managed to pack a lot of fun into our Friday/Saturday/Sunday. We walked more than 10 miles around Manhattan on Friday, most of them in the downpour! We had enough reprieves from the weather to appreciate how insanely gorgeous our city is in the spring.

Here were our top five eats from the end of vacation…

{1} Breakfast at Back Room

Breakfast in a fancy hotel with a view of the city? Yes, please! And it was one of the best meals of the weekend. Adam got an amazing fish platter with herring and smoked sturgeon, smoked salmon, belly lox, pastrami salmon, fingerling potatoes, eggplant salad, and cream cheese with trout roe. I’m usually a bit too squeamish for lox but I happily stole bites of everything from this plate.

I had duck confit hash topped with a duck egg! With a cheddar biscuit with honey and butter.

You really can’t go wrong with duck on duck; my meal was almost too rich.

{2} Brunch at Du Jour Bakery

It was so good the last time that I had to go back and take Adam. I ordered an iced latte (made with Brooklyn Roasting Company) immediately.

And I went savory with an egg and cheese croissant sandwich. My meal came with a tasty side salad and Adam’s came with fries so we were in business!

{3} Donuts from Underwest

A Hells Kitchen spot inside of a car wash. We tried halvah and vanilla-lavender.

They were a bit cakey for my preferences (Adam disagrees) but the glaze was top-notch.

Plus coffee from Laughing Man, Hugh Jackman’s Tribeca shop that donates all of it’s proceeds to the Laughing Man Foundation.

That’s a honey lavender latte to fit with our donuts.

{4} Ice cream from I CE NY

Smashed and rolled ice cream! They spread your base flavor and mix-ins on a giant frozen metal plate.

I got Thai iced tea ice cream with sprinkles mixed in and popping boba, mochi, and condensed milk on top.

It was fun, and also some of the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten. The base ended up being amazingly chewy! <– here is some info on why “chewy” is a compliment

{5} Dinner at Ten Ichi Ramen, a newish spot in Park Slope

We started with duck bao.

I got the veggie ramen, with an aged egg on top.

Not as good as Chuko but still pretty darn good. The broth was so creamy! Plus their chili garlic oil was wonderful, which is good for me because I add it to my ramen by the scoop.

6May2016

Ocean 362 {Dinner In St. John}

by Emily

St. Thomas has to be my favorite island because it’s where I was born, but during our trip home our absolute best meal was enjoyed in St. John.

One of the boys from my high school class grew up to be an amazingly cool chef who opened a restaurant in Cruz Bay. Ocean 362 does modern takes on traditional Caribbean dishes using ingredients that are fresh, local, and sustainably sourced. It’s a total 10/10.

The space is pretty and open and we got a seat on the patio with a progressively more beautiful view of the sunset.

The setting sun also means that my photos get progressively less lovely!

Adam and I went alone for a date night and ordered a truly ridiculous amount of food for two people. We started with a local fish dip with citrus, herbs, and cream cheese, served topped with crispy capers, with radishes and crostini on the side.

We also had fresh bread with delightfully sweet butter and the chef sent out an assortment of pickles that were stunning. The mushrooms were good and the dilled cucumbers were the best I’ve ever tasted.

Cocktails included the Bean-a-colada with pineapple and vanilla infused vodka and pineapple juice. That dollop on the top is coconut milk and lime foam.

Plus a sparkly Seaplane with cava, orange bitters, and housemade hibiscus flower liquor. The foam is thanks to vegan “egg” powder. You can never go wrong ordering a cocktail with egg and especially not ordering one with hibiscus.

Adam said his pork tenderloin was scrumptious, but I’m sure it couldn’t have been better than my duck. Cast iron seared duck breast / duck confit / buttermilk dumplings / maple glazed carrots / crispy brussels sprout leaves. The dumplings were perfectly seasoned all the way through but the best bites were obviously confit.

We couldn’t choose so we got two desserts – torched brie with rum raisin conserve and a chocolate tart with a plantain crust, a passionfruit marshmallow, and dulce de leche.

We were swooning from the first bite to the last. Plus we continued to gush about the meal while we rolled ourselves back down the hill to the ferry!

3May2016

{The Best} St. Thomas Visit 2016

by Emily

Adam and I started our two-week vacation off right with an incredible visit home to see my parents and soak up some sun. For the first time since college I managed to have the dates line up so that I could make it for Carnival*! We also went to St. John*, The Baths*, the beach, and got to spend time with old friends. It was pretty much the perfect trip.

* I took way too many pictures so all of the items starred above are going to have to be their own posts over the rest of the week

Speaking of too many pictures, I’m limiting this post to the highlights. Here are some of our favorites from home…

The best hosts – my parents. In addition to driving us all over the place, ironing my dresses, playing board games even though Adam always throws a fit, and just being generally amazing, they cooked us Adam’s favorite meal and my favorite dessert. Bill Clinton’s Enchiladas.

And key lime pie.

Which meant there was leftover pie for me to eat on top of Greek yogurt. <– the best thing ever

I always serve it with flax so it’s basically a health food.

The best breakfast – Barefoot Buddha.

I got an iced Vietnamese latte and the sandwich I ate on my wedding day, aka the Bigfood Bagel sandwich: egg frittata, smoked turkey, turkey bacon, cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, chipotle aioli, tomato-onion coulis, and fresh spinach.

The best brunch – The Grille Room at Mahogany Run. My (extra-spicy) Bloody Mary came topped with a stuffed olive, banana pepper, and shrimp!

I also had a really top-notch chopped salad with shrimp and chipotle-ranch among other yummy things. And then every singe person at the table ordered a vodka + soda and all was right with the world.

The best coffee – Bad Ass at Yacht Haven.

My triple non-fat iced latte was perfectly roasty good.

The best pizza – Island Time Pub. Pro tip – start with a salad, they are gigantic and two-three people can share one.

Adam and I got a pie with artichoke, Kalamata olives, and roasted garlic.

Plus their drink menu is on point.

The best johnny cake – served at the window on the Waterfront by The Greenhouse, with cheese.

Caribbean johnny cake (versus the cornmeal version found in the American south) is slightly sweet, unleavened fried bread. It is delicious in general and freaking mind-blowing when served with cheese.

26Apr2016

Was It Blogvious?

by Emily

Adam’s back, yay! Surprise? I tried to keep it under wraps for security reasons, so I hope it wasn’t blogvious (<– totally unnecessary portmanteau for obvious on the blog) that Adam has been out of town for the past month. He had a trauma rotation in Texas and the dog and I missed him like crazy! Now he’s back and we both have two weeks off of work and I plan on spending the majority of them holding his hand!

Foodwise, here were the weekend highlights…

Adam didn’t get back into town until late Sunday evening and I spent the better part of the day hyperventilating with excitement. I distracted myself for a little bit with Vietnamese iced coffee and a pedicure.

Fun fact – toe nail polish was my something blue in my wedding.

Another day, another coffee.

I usually skip over Gala apples but this one was very sweet and crisp.

Brunch with friends at Du Jour Bakery, my new favorite breakfast spot in Park Slope. The space feels totally open and airy and they have yummy iced lattes.

I ordered the brioche French toast with maple butterscotch, berries, and whipped cream.

It was good, but I need to accept the fact that I don’t really like French toast. My girlfriends got savory egg sandwiches that I think I would love.

Dinner at Pearl’s Bake and Shark, a newish Trinidadian spot in Williamsburg. My bake and jerk chicken was very tasty.

Aka pulled jerk chicken on fried dough, with pickled slaw and pineapple salsa. The chicken didn’t taste like the jerk I grew up with, but it was smoky delicious.

Bbq turkey salad at home.

Baby spinach dressed with creamy Greek dressing / avocado / cucumber / chopped turkey breast tossed in cola bbq sauce / brie / a sprinkle of smoked paprika. A great combo; the paprika was such a good addition.

11Apr2016

Weekend Trip To Richmond

by Emily

I had Friday off and I made the absolute most of it with a three-day trip to Virginia. I drove to Maryland on Friday morning to meet up with my aunt, uncle, and cousin, and then we drove down to Richmond together to visit my other cousin and her friends for the weekend. Our schedule included beautiful walks, copious booze, and delicious food. I had a fantabulous time!

I mostly snapped photos of coffee and booze, but we ate until we could pop. These are a few of the can’t–miss spots we visited:

Black Hand is a locally operated coffee roaster and café. I started both my mornings with an iced latte and loved them so much that I went back for a pound of beans before we left.

Bistro Bobette for French cuisine. We had scrumptious foie gras with mango and balsamic and I ate rainbow trout with string beans and brown butter that knocked my socks off.

My Noodle & Bar serves awesome cocktails and the best Thai food I’ve had outside of NYC.

Thai rum, strawberry jam, and local honey shaken with basil with a Thai chili, salt, and sugar rim. <– ridiculous good

Drunken Noodles with yummy duck. I forget to request “Thai spicy” and my dish was still tingly-good so you know I was impressed.

Social 52 had biscuits and grits galore and a varied beer (and cocktail) menu with the option of flights with five ounce pours.

Sour, coconut porter, cream ale, and local cider. The coconut porter was one of the best beers I’ve ever had; the coconut and porter loves alike enjoyed it.

Plus I did a pb&j – peanut butter porter and raspberry stout!

The Daily for – local, sustainably sourced – appetizers and cocktails. My Bee’s Knees had gin, lemon, elderflower liquor, and vanilla-infused honey. Perfectly balanced.

Bonus, sightseeing: be sure to check out the fun little shops in Carytown and the gorgeous grounds at the VA Museum of Fine Arts.

4Apr2016

Last Week’s Top Ten

by Emily

{1} Swapping out my wardrobe to welcome in the spring-ish weather.

So today and tomorrow are supposed to be pretty darn cold, but the rest of the month is looking so nice that I went ahead and traded my summer and winter gear. Scarves and boots are still available but if we get a freak snowstorm I’m out of luck because all my coats are at the cleaners. It felt good to get that big project done.

{2} Enjoying coffee again.

Extra espresso in my giant iced latte? My health is officially back to 100%.

This upcoming week I did brew a batch so I won’t have an excuse to buy coffee out every day.

{3} Berry smoothie.

Maple kefir, dates, and frozen mixed berries.

Kefir was the perfect smoothie liquid.

{4} Dessert-y oatmeal bowls for lunch.

Oats with chia, freeze-dried raspberries, pecans, and strawberry shortcake M&Ms.

Oats with chia, freeze-dried raspberries, and a big scoop of Biscoff.

I bought a jar of Biscoff last Saturday and it is practically empty now – – I am the only member of the household who eats Biscoff.

{5} National Pecan Day is April 14th and Nonni’s sent* me some Turtle Pecan Biscotti to celebrate.

*Free sample alert – no additional compensation was provided for this post, all opinions are my own.

The biscotti was quite good next to my coffee – crunchy but not toothbreakingly so and a good balance of salty and sweet.

But even better crushed into my all-time best yogurt combo. Turtle pecan yogurt bowl: maple yogurt, toasted pecans, chocolate-covered cocoa nibs, biscotti, and chopped plucot.

Or check out Nonni’s Pinterest page for some other pairing ideas.

{6} Binge-watching “Hart of Dixie” on instantwatch.

Yes, the show where Rachel Bilson plays a doctor in the deep south. And yes, it is totally a soap opera. But it is completely addictive! I am a woman obsessed, or I should say I was a women obsessed – I may have already finished watching all four seasons!

{7} Kombucha.

The Master Brew line from Kevita has been knocking my socks off.

Grapefruit was perfectly sweet and tart.

{8} Healthy sticks to scoop up less-healthy dips.

Baby carrots and green pepper in spinach and artichoke dip.

Apple slices in melted Biscoff and dark chocolate peanut butter.

Apple dippers in cookie butter are even more satisfying than licking it off of a spoon like I usually do.

{9} Taco brinner.

We loved our fish tacos so much the week before that I knew we needed a repeat.

This time our hard shells were stuffed with sautéed onions and peppers, shredded cheese, roasted tomatillo salsa, and scrambled eggs. This was practically the only meal I cooked all week, the other nights I mostly ate chips with cheese and salsa so I’d have time to watch my stories!

{10} Chuko Ramen.

I introduced a girlfriend to the joy that is their veggie miso with a soft egg and chili garlic oil on top.

It is the perfect dinner spot because Ample Hill’s ice cream is just a short walk down the block!

What are you looking forward to this week?

4Mar2016

Short And Sick

by Emily

This week was short but no cakewalk. Monday I was off because I worked Saturday/Sunday, and Thursday I was off because I’m a coughing, sneezing, miserable mess. How am I sick again?? Apparently my immune system is as over winter as I am.

I ate pizza and/or soup for 90% of my meals this week. Here were my more exciting eats…

Brooklyn Roasting Company has nitro cold-brew now and it is flipping delicious.

This week’s tea was vanilla rooibos. Perfect for my throat and yummy with a bit of milk and honey. Rooibos is definitely my favorite type of tea.

This yogurt bowl was the best thing I ate all week. Coconut Greek with fresh strawberry and pomegranate, Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes, chia seeds, and toasted pecans.

Monday, before I knew how sick I was, Adam and I both had the day off and we had a wonderful time in the city. We got sushi burritos! Mine was fantastic – sushi rice, marinated tofu, cucumber, carrot, pickled cucumber, seaweed salad, tobanjan mayo, tempura crunch, and sesame seeds.

Split a cone at Big Gay Ice Cream. The salty pimp = vanilla soft serve with dulce de leche, sea salt, and chocolate dip. Plus sprinkles.

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And took a long walk (sans coats!) through Chelsea and across the Manhattan Bridge.

This week’s Skoskbox had some big winners, especially the grape Hi Chew.

Here’s the only dinner I actually cooked this week. Cheesy scrambled eggs and spicy green beans.

I put the green beans under the broiler – to attempt something like this – and they came out great.

I hope everyone is feeling their best this weekend!

Eating Chalk

Tag Archives: restaurant food

Bushwick And Beyond

Spring In The City

Ocean 362 {Dinner In St. John}

{The Best} St. Thomas Visit 2016

Was It Blogvious?

Weekend Trip To Richmond

Last Week’s Top Ten

Short And Sick